Plagiarism /play jah ree zum/ refers to the act of using others’ work without proper attribution.
For Faculty
To check for plagiarism, you can use TurnItIn (now built into our D2L learning environment). Alternatively, consider this eLearning Industry article that reviews 10 of the most commonly used plagiarism detection tools.
Furthermore, consider the instructional best practices suggested by Purdue’s Online Writing Lab.
For Students
Keys to Avoiding Plagiarism
- Manage Sources: Keep track of your sources and also easily format in the style format of your choice (e.g., AMA, APA, MLA, etc.) using a software such as:
- EndNote (free download available at the help desk) – recommended when working with database-drive research
- Mendeley (free) – recommended when working with PDF files and web and has the strongest website and community
- Zotero (free) – many find it it easiest; it is recommended when working with just about any source.
- Quote: Quoting means copying the original verbatim. When quoting more than 40 words, use block quotes. Quotations need to be followed by a citation. Incorrect or incomplete quoting can constitute plagiarism.
- Paraphrase: An alternative to quoting is paraphrasing, basically restating the message in your own words. If you use more than 2 words from the original source, you will need to quote and cite.
- Cite: Citing is the parenthetical information at the end of a quote or paraphrase. It usually entails listing the author(s) and date of the publication. Refer to the style guide used in your disciple (e.g., AMA, APA, MLA, etc.). You do not need to quote common facts (e.g., the sun rises in the East and sets in the West) but you need to cite facts (e.g., the attention span of Millenials is 5 minutes). Incorrect or incomplete citing can constitute plagiarism.
- Citing Quotes: Citing a quote involves adding a page number (print) or paragraph number (web).
- Citing Your Own Material: Cite yourself whenever using material you created previously, treating the text the same as you would if someone else wrote it. Not citing your own material constitutes self-plagiarism.
- Reference: References are listed at the end of your work and provide details not included in your citations. References typically include the author(s), date of publication, title, and source – but always refer to the style guide used in your disciple.
